Terminal clamp for storage batteries



June 16, 1931,. H. GILLAR TERMINAL CLAMP FOR STORAGE BATTERIES Filed Nov. 28, 1927 Patented June 16, 1931 HENRY GILLAR, OF MILLTOWN, NEW JERSEY TERMINAL CLAMP FOR STORAGE BATTERIES Application filed November 28, 1927. Serial No. 236,078.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to terminal clamps for storage batteries and has for its rincipal object to provide a construction w ich can be readily, easily and quickly fixed to and removed from the terminal posts of the battery and which will eliminate soldering of the connecting wires or cables.

With this object in view my invention consists substantially in the novel construction,

combination an arrangement of arts as will be hereinafter more fully described and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which forms part of this specification and in which 1 similar, reference characters denote corresponding parts, Fig. 1 is a erspective view of a storage battery and o my new clamp shown as applied to one of its terminal posts; Fig. 2 is a sectional top plan view of my clamp; Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof and Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Let a denote a storage battery of usual construction having the usual tapered terminal posts I), of which only one is shown in the drawings.

The new clamp 10 is composed of two in dividual separate sections 11, 12 of conducting material, such as brass.

Each section comprises two jaws, one for the engagement around the terminal 0st and the other for engagement of the ca le. To this end one of the sections, as 11 comprises a shank or bar 11, whose one end is laterally bent as at 11" about an angle of 90 relative to the body portion and then curved to form a semi-circular hook 11. At an intermediate point the bar 11 is provided with an apertured hump shaped protuberance 11", rojecting laterally in the same direction as nt portion 11 13 denotes one of the jaws of section 11 and consists of a block of substantially rectangular shape ada ted to extend along the humped edge of sai shank 11 and to be pivotally or hingedl suspended from the latter. To this end it is provided with a pair of apertured lugs 13 adapted to embrace the hump 11 and to be suitably pivoted thereto. The opposite side of said block is formed longitudinallywith asemi-cylindrical serrated groove 13". This groove as it willbe hereinafter shown together with a corresponding groove in the section 12 is adapted to grip the non-insulated portion of the cable when the sections are clamped together.

The second section 12 of the clamp comprises a similar shank or bar 12? which in width is equal to that of the jaw 13, and which at one end like the bar 11 is bent laterally as at 12 at an angle of 90 and curved into the form of a semi-circular hook 12. This hook, however, is split longitudinally, the two branches thereof being spaced apart a distance equal to or slightly lar er than the hook 11 so that the latter may e freely passed between the branches of hook 12. The stem 12 on the side of the bend 12 is provided with a longitudinal serrated semi-cylindrical groove 12 similar to that of the jaw 13, and constitutes a second jaw for gripping the noninsulated portion of the cable 0 when the parts w are assembled and clamped together.

When so assembled the two hook shaped portions 11 and 12"are adapted to interengage one another and extend in opposite direction so as close around the terminal post b; The inner faces of these hooks are advantageously also serrated or roughened to more effectively grip the terminal post. In the present example only hook 11 is shown serrated.

The clamping means whereby the two sections when assembled are clamped together to simultaneously grip the terminal post and the cable, according to the present example, comprises a U-shaped member or loop 14, whose legs 14 are suitably pivoted to the end of shank 12 opposite that of its hook, as at 14*. The cross piece 14 of said U-shaped member is provided with a threaded bore in which works a clamping screw 15. This member 14 is adapted when the parts are assembled to be thrown around the free end of the shank of section 11 and by tightening the screw 15 against the free end of shank 11 to press said two sections together.

In use the two sections are separatel placed around the terminal post b, the hoo 11 being passed through the split hook 12, and the two sections are turned with their grooved sides toward one another. After throwing the loop 14 around the shank 11, whereby said elements may be clamped tothe cable a is assed into the grooves of the gether to simultaneously grip said terminal jaws 13 and s iank 12 and the screw 15 is and said lead in wire.

tightened, as a result whereof simultaneously the hook shaped jaws 11, 12 are caused to gri the terminal post 6 and the jaws 12 an 13, the cable a.

It will be seen that in this manner no difliculty will be experienced in removing the clamp from the terminal post which may adhere to it by corrosion and that the attachment of the clamp can be quickly and easily effected.

It is obvious that the construction may be modified in various ways without departing from the principle of my invention. I, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to the details described and shown.

What I claim is 1. A terminal clamp for storage batteries or the like comprising two separable elements each formed with a hook shaped jaw and a semi-cylindrically curved jaw, the former serving to engage around the terminal post and the latter around a cable or wire and common means on one of said elements adj acent to the semi-cylindrically curved jaw capable of engaging the other element ad'acent its semi-cylindrical curved jaw or clamping the said elements together in operative osition.

2. terminal clamp for storage batteries or the like, comprising two separable elements, capable of interengaging with one another, each element formed with a hooked shaped aw at one end for gripping a terminal post and'provided intermediate the ends with semi-cylindrically curved jaws for gripping a lead wire or cable and a U-shaped clamping member pivotally attached to the free end of one of said elements and adapted to be brought into engagement with the other element, said member being provided with tightening means whereby said element may be clamped to simultaneously grip said terminal and said lead wire.

3. In a terminal clamp as per claim 2, in which one of said hooked jaws is split to permit the passage of the hookedj aw of the other element between the legs of said split jaws and one of said semi-cylindrically curved jaws pivotally engages one of said elements.

4. A terminal clamp for storage batteries or the like comprising two separable elements capable of interengaging with one another each element formed at one end with hook like portions for gripping a terminal post, each element being also provided intermediate its ends with means for gripping a leadin wire or cable and a U-shaped member pivotally attached to the free end of one of said elements adapted to be moved around v the free end of said other element, said member being provided with tightening means In testimony whereof I aflix m si HENRY ature. IL R. 

